Tony Bellew Sides With Groves, Dave Coldwell Picks Eubank

Former WBC cruiserweight world champion Tony Bellew and his veteran trainer Dave Coldwell are in agreement on most things when it comes to boxing - but not when it comes to the outcome of tonight's super middleweight collision between world champions George Groves and Chris Eunank Jr.

Groves and Eubank will collide for the WBA, IBO world titles as part of the super middleweight World Boxing Super Series (WBSS) semifinals, at Manchester Arena in Manchester, United Kingdom.

Groves (27-3, 20 KOs) knocked out defending champion Fedor Chudinov in the sixth round to capture the World Boxing Association (WBA) super middleweight title last May. He knocked out previously undefeated Jaime Cox in the fourth round of the WBSS quarterfinals.

Bellew is fully siding with with Groves to win the contest, in a thrilling manner, by way of a twelve round unanimous decision.

"I don't really believe the hype about Chris Eubank Jr. He's good on the inside, has very fast hands in there, but those little clips and montages show us that he is really just a fighter that stands there," Bellew said to Sky Sports.

"George Groves is by far the better boxer of the two. He has the height and reach advantage, he has the power, and it's an absolute disgrace that George Groves is being called chinny. He got knocked out by a punch that would've knocked a horse out.

"If he lets him get up close and has a trade-off with Chris Eubank Jr, the youth and inside work will prevail, but I just don't think Groves is that stupid. He will box him, keeping on the end of the jab, and then impose his size and stature on him. A good big man always beats a good little man and we know Eubank's style and how to beat him. Groves on points in a thriller."

On the other hand, Coldwell is tabbing Eubank to walk away with the victory.

He believes Eubank will eventually wear down the older Groves and secure a stoppage victory in the late rounds. Groves has displayed a tendency to tire in the second half of his toughest fights.

"I've just had a feeling, as soon as this fight came about, that Eubank Jr will win this. Obviously I know all about the Groves who [former trainer] Adam Booth had. He had a heavy, fast jab, good legs and was very active. I just feel these days he hasn't got the legs to beat Eubank," Coldwell said.

"To win this fight Groves needs all those attributes to be at their best, but he's had a lot of tough, tough fights throughout his career and the last couple of years, it has all just looked hard for him. Does the fact that he has finally won that world title mean he really needs it, as much as Eubank Jr who will be desperate.

"Eubank Jr might not have the one-punch power, but he is a very fast puncher and a lot of people lessen the value of speed in exchanges. The one thing he can't do is try and take on Groves' jab. He needs to go for the body and if he does, we will see Groves getting ragged, the shots become a bit wild and the legs heavy. If he stays compact, his relentlessness, his youth, and his mental state will come on down the stretch and actually I see Eubank Jr stopping a tired Groves late on."